


every whisper in the dark

by fictorium



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Architects, F/F, Foster Care, Housesitter AU, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2020-12-27 03:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21112034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictorium/pseuds/fictorium
Summary: It's an AU of the Goldie Hawn/Steve Martin movie, Housesitter. Cat is an architect whose grand romantic proposal just failed. Kara is a waitress pretty down on her luck. Their paths cross and... well, romance ensues. Eventually.





	1. Chapter 1

“Ugh, is that seriously someone coming in now?” Kara asked as she stepped behind the bar to collect her latest order. Alex, tending bar with a frown and a cocktail shaker that she wielded like an unpinned hand grenade, just gave a shrug. 

“You’re fine, it’s some chick on her own. She’ll order a salad and down a glass of wine, no problem.”

Alex had an uncanny ability to predict both the behavior and the order of each customer who walked through the restaurant door. Their hole-in-the-wall bistro used to get just enough patronage to stay open, but just last week it had featured in a ‘hidden gems of National City’ blog by one of their regulars, Nia Nal, and the reservations calendar had been stuffed ever since. 

“I just want to get home,” Kara said. “Nia gave me a great contact to pitch my story to her magazine, and I really think I could land this one. Then maybe I can start making a real living from writing and stopping waiting tables.”

“Yeah, and maybe I’ll go back to med school,” Alex replied with a snort. “Sorry, Kara. I know you do the sunshine thing, but in this economy we’re lucky to even have this. Like you sleeping on my couch. You know I don’t mind, but Maggie’s starting to complain that we never have the place to ourselves.”

“Oh.” Kara hadn’t expected that so soon. Losing her room after her friend Lena had unceremoniously cut off their friendship, she’d been basically homeless without Alex’s kind offer. Now barely a week into the new arrangement and Kara realized some of her writing time had better quickly become ‘hunting for new roommates’ time. “It’s totally fine, I’ll get something in the next day or two, promise.”

The new patron walked up to the bar.

“Do you actually seat people here? Or is the food served standing up?”

“Yes ma’am, I was just bringing these drinks and then I can get you seated. Do you have a reservation?”

“It’s after nine on a Sunday,” the woman replied, gesturing to the tables that were barely half occupied. “Do I need one?”

“Here,” Kara said, pointing to the clear table for two nearest the kitchen. It would be on her route for the rest of the night that way, and she had a feeling this particular customer would require plenty of checking on. Kara balanced the tray of drinks on her other hand and didn’t wait to see if the woman had any complaints, but swung by with a menu as soon as the drinks were handed out to table six. 

“I’ll take a salad, whatever’s freshest,” the woman said without even opening the leatherbound menu. Score another one for Alex. Now for the wine order. “Any salad as long as it has a cheeseburger, rare, on top. Oh, bring me a double Scotch older than you are. And don’t call me ma’am again. This isn’t the Old West, despite the decor in this place.”

Kara waited as she always did when someone forgot their manners. She got a stare down in response. Patient to a fault, Kara gave her best, most professional smile. The woman raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the challenge.

“_Please_.”

With that Kara skipped off to give J’onn the kitchen order and let Alex play with the whiskies, her favorite part of the job. One by one the tables started to empty, and by the time the woman finished off her cheeseburger and ordered a second, and third, Scotch, she was the only one left. 

“You go,” Kara urged Alex. “I can pour from a bottle if she wants any more, but look at her. No way someone that petite can handle much more liquor.”

“Remember that when you’re pouring her into a cab later,” Alex replied, but she grabbed her bag and jacket. “Thanks, Kara. This will go a long way with Maggie, me getting home early for a change. Assuming she’s actually finished her shift, anyway. Cops don’t exactly keep good hours either.”

“That’s why you’re perfect for each other,” Kara assured her. As Alex slipped out through the kitchen door, the woman raised her glass one more time. With the kitchen closed and J’onn gone for the night too, Kara was in no rush to chase away her last patron of the night. The longer she stayed at work, the more excuse she had not to start writing the article that was hanging over her like a chandelier on a fraying rope. She brought the bottle over to the table, swiping a clean glass for herself on the way. 

“Do you mind if I join you? I’m Kara, by the way.”

“Hmm, yes. I heard the bar girl call you that. Girlfriend?”

“What? Noooo, no. She’s um, basically my sister? I guess? She has a girlfriend though, Maggie, and--”

The woman held up a hand to stop Kara. “No life stories, please. And my name is Cat, since I can see you won’t settle until we’re even on that score. And yes, you can sit.”

Kara did so, and poured them both a generous measure freehand. She topped her own up, figuring Cat had quite a head start. 

“Okay, no life stories. Do I get to ask what brings you here on a Sunday night?”

“It was the first place I saw,” Cat replied, picking at a cherry tomato before popping it in her mouth. It was hard not to notice the fullness of her lips, or the little hum of satisfaction as the tomato burst on her tongue. Kara took a bigger sip of her drink to drown out the distraction. “And I read about it, somewhere. I remembered the name. It was this or Burger King.”

“I don’t see you as a Burger King regular, somehow,” Kara said. “Do you like chocolate?”

“I do, though my personal trainer insists I shouldn’t,” Cat answered with a weary sigh. “Are you dealing?”

“Not quite, but I do happen to know where some excellent chocolate brownies are kept in the kitchen, ones that aren’t on the menu.”

“Then by all means…” 

Kara rushed off and brought back a little stack of chocolate brownies, balancing two bowls of ice cream as well. Waitressing had made her more efficient at least. She liked the way Cat’s face lit up for a second at the sight of them. Until she reached to take a brownie, and Kara decided to play hardball.

“Uh uh, no such thing as a free lunch, _Cat_.”

“I’m more than happy to pay,” Cat replied, but the set of her mouth gave away her amusement. “Fine, what’s your price then?” She asked, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms over her middle. 

She looked beautiful in the soft restaurant light, soft blonde curls falling around her face just so, the little black dress she wore so perfectly tailored that she seemed to have been sewn into it. Kara let herself dwell for a moment on the defined arms, the delicate curves of Cat’s jawline and her collarbone, like a trail Kara wanted to follow.

Oh boy. Maybe it had been a while since she last dated anyone. If Alex were still there she’d have been urging Kara to try a one-night stand for a change, see what the fuss was about. Pouring another drink, Kara couldn’t quite remember why she had been so against those in the first place. 

“My price?” Kara repeated, pretending to think it over as she guarded the plate of brownies. “Let’s see, for each square you have to tell me something about yourself. Starting with why you’re all dressed up to eat here alone. Fair?”

Cat looked like she was going to argue, but she unfolded her arms and took her bowl of ice cream. “Fine. Because I wasn’t planning on dining alone.” 

“That’s not really an answer,” Kara replied.

“It’s all the question merited. Try thinking like a reporter.”

“I want to be a reporter, some day.”

“Did I ask?”

“Fine,” Kara said, pouting a little. “I can ask better questions. What were you supposed to be doing, instead of coming here alone? And uh, who with?”

“Why should I tell you?” Cat demanded, but there was a sparkle in her eye that hadn’t been there before. She was in for the games. “Just for a brownie? I could buy my own anywhere else I like.”

“Not at this time on a Sunday. And not this good.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Keira.”

“_Kara_. I could eat all these myself you know”

Cat gave her a long appraising look, lingering on the bare legs beneath Kara’s short red skirt that was part of the restaurant uniforms. “I doubt it, with a figure like that.”

“I have a fast metabolism,” Kara replied, quite sincerely. “People say they hate me when I tell them that.” 

Cat groaned in confirmation, and Kara broke off a corner of one brownie to pop in her own mouth. It was exactly as good as she expected, and her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, a moan escaping her lips.

“God, fine,” Cat finally said, with the hint of a whine. “I actually had an earlier reservation, at Lux.”

“That fancy restaurant on top of the L-Corp Tower?” Kara couldn’t hide her gasp of amazement. “That’s… I mean, wow. That must have been a special occasion.” She didn’t add that she’d eaten there a few times, as Lena’s guest. Nobody would believe that Kara had been friends with the Luthor heiress anyway. She barely believed it herself these days, between the minimum wage job and crashing on other people’s sofas.

“Not so special,” Cat replied. “Well, I thought I made a decent fist of the proposal, but damn if she didn’t turn me down anyway. Oh, don’t look so devastated. I’ve probably had a lucky escape.”

Kara handed over a brownie, and Cat attacked it with her fork right away, scooping it up with ice cream. 

“I’m so sorry. She must be pretty dumb to turn you down.”

“She is. We already have a child together, for a start.”

“Are you okay? I mean, you seem okay…” Kara didn’t know where to take it next. She left the plate unguarded and grabbed a paper napkin that sat beside Cat’s empty-again glass. “But that had to sting a little, right?”

“It’s not like I got down on one knee with a ring or anything,” Cat said, shaking her head in apparent disgust. “She said I was obsessed with my work, but I was using that work to build a house for us. Well, for our son, really. Carter deserves a stable place to grow up.”

“So you were really asking so your son would be stable?” Kara asked. 

“That’s a bit simplistic. Having a wife wouldn’t be a bad thing for me, in a lot of ways.”

“You don’t sound super enthused about it is all. Do you really need one?”

“Husband, wife, any of the above would do,” Cat answered with a sigh. “The point is that I’m gunning for partner at my firm, and my asshole boss Perry White won’t consider me seriously because I’m not ‘settled’ enough. He thinks my son is distracting me, and I won’t be serious about the work. Wait until he hears how serious I am now. I’m going to lose custody as well as my long-suffering girlfriend. I’m screwed.”

“Partner? You’re a lawyer?” 

Cat shook her head and stole a second brownie. “Look at your napkin.”

Kara unfurled it from her fist and saw the intricate lines of a perfectly scaled house. It was stunning, like something straight out of a Nancy Meyers movie. The wide porch and the huge windows reminded her of the classic homes that lined the wealthiest streets in Midvale when she’d been growing up. It was a million miles away from crashing on the couch in Alex’s tiny one-bed apartment. 

“Wait, you drew this? Are you an architect?”

“Yes. And I didn’t just draw it. I built it. Or, well, I had it built. It’s ready and waiting, all she had to do was say yes… but here we are. Guess the plus side is that I don’t have to leave National City and commute from Parthas with all the other suburban schmucks.”

“Parthas is pretty,” Kara replied. “I passed through there a couple of times. It’s uh, on the way from Midvale, kinda. Wait, did you say you work for Perry White? Didn’t he design the Daily Planet building in Metropolis? And--”

“Yes, yes,” Cat interrupted, frowning into her dessert. “His name is all over them. But it’s the employees who do all the work. The Planet building?” She leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisker. “That was all me. But he took the credit. I should have gone out on my own like I wanted.”

“You’re so talented!” Kara forgot her game altogether, helping herself to a brownie and refilling her glass. “You should start your own firm. I bet you could do anything you wanted, and keep your kid, even if you let the girlfriend go.”

Cat gave her a suspicious look. “You think I should let the girlfriend go?”

Kara nodded. “I think…” She reached across the table and touched the tip of Cat’s fingers with her own. “I think there are other options out there. If you look for them. And you shouldn’t settle for someone who doesn’t believe in you and your dreams.”

“Really?” Cat seemed less than convinced. 

“What are you doing after this?” Kara asked, not entirely realizing how it would sound. Then she did, and decided to style it out. Maybe for one night she could be brave. “Only it’s getting late, and someone should make sure you get home okay.”

“Well, I am going home to an empty apartment,” Cat replied, reaching for her purse and attempting to pay for dinner before Kara waved her off. “I thought I was just playing for dessert.”

“It’s all on me,” Kara said, although she’d catch hell for it in the morning when the takings were off. “So long as you share a cab with me?”

“Are we going in the same direction?”

“... I hope so?”

Cat considered for a long, almost endless moment. “Yes,” she finally said, putting her hand over Kara’s, leaning in close. “I think we are.”

“I’ll call that taxi,” Kara said, her voice dropping to a whisper as Cat leaned even closer.

“In a minute,” Cat replied, as her lips pressed against Kara’s.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After what seems to be a one-night stand, Kara needs to get her life in order. As long as she keeps her job, she'll find somewhere to live, right?

Kara woke up in a strange bed with a mouth drier than the California desert, and a headache with more bass than a Kanye track. Squinting into the morning sunlight from the huge attic-style windows, she soon realized she was all alone. 

Finding the bathroom, she took her time about cleaning up and tracking down her clothes, just in case Cat returned. By the time Kara established there was no coffee left in the tin, it was clear she’d been abandoned. There was just time to go back to Alex’s and pick up some clean clothes before heading in for her lunchtime shift at the restaurant. 

“Hey!” She called out when she opened the apartment door with Alex’s spare key. “You two decent?”

“Hi, Kara.” Alex was sitting on the sofa that Kara usually slept on. “Where did you get to?”

“Oh, just out,” Kara replied, approaching with some trepidation. She could see her things had been tidied into little piles on the cushions. There wasn’t much of it. “Maggie not around?”

“She went to yoga. Without me. Turns out she got pretty mad that I was worried about you not coming home last night. Says you’re a big girl and I don’t need to put my life on hold to help with yours, all that good stuff.”

Kara felt her heart sink. It sounded a lot like Alex had been given an ultimatum, and despite their bond, she couldn’t expect Alex to choose anyone over her live-in girlfriend.

“I left messages about a bunch of places. Someone's bound to get back to me!” Kara said, pasting on a big smile to cover the lie. “That woman who came in last night, she might have a spare room soon. She broke up with someone, so it’s all change. We’ll see, I guess.”

“Really?” Usually Alex would be skeptical, but Kara can already see the relief etched across her face. “I mean, you don’t have to go anywhere until you have somewhere safe and decent. I know how important it is to you after everything.”

Kara shrugged off Alex’s concern. They’d only become so close because Alex’s parents had been one of the few positive foster parents Kara had ever been placed with. Even that hadn’t lasted, once Jeremiah died they’d had to move Kara on, even if the two sisters had stayed in touch. Kara may have issues around finding a secure home, but the foster system had also taught her that there were worse problems sometimes than not being under a roof. 

“Then all the more reason for me to fix up something more permanent. Besides, the tips are getting better with Nia finally getting us some customers. I’ll be able to afford a place as long as I stay at the restaurant. I’ll just go shower quickly if that’s okay? I, uh, didn’t get a chance before.”

“Of course, I’m not in til later but I can give you a ride on my bike.” Alex stood up and hugged her. “Wait, is this the walk of shame? Kara, did you get some action last night?”

“I’m going to be late!” Kara called out as she squirmed away. “Don’t forget the spare helmet this time!”

Once the bathroom door was closed, Kara drew her phone slowly from her pocket. Turning the cranky shower dial to its second-hottest setting, she knew it was only a 50/50 chance at best of getting anything above lukewarm. About the same odds as a post-hookup text from Cat Grant, it seemed. 

Oh well. Kara stepped under the tepid water and tried not to focus on all the places her skin still tingled from Cat’s touch.

***

Five weeks later and the only improvement was that Cat had started sending some intermittent texts. It seemed that she did like to talk, but only on her terms, and only at some seriously ungodly hours. If Kara had been in an office gig, she’d have slept through most of the texts. Instead she caught most of them right as she was coming off shift. 

So far Kara had learned all kinds of random details, most importantly that after the failed proposal, Cat’s girlfriend had moved out for good. Cat had ranted a few times about how little she got to see her son, but she’d also sent a few photos of buildings she’d been sketching, usually sending follow up texts in the morning to request that Kara delete them. Which, technically, she did. From her text threads. The images themselves were safely stashed in her photo albums. Kara had never seen anything so beautiful as the way Cat drew. 

No texts so far though, and she had a lunch shift to endure. Alex wouldn’t be in to run the bar until later, and Kara found herself glad of the respite. Still being on the couch, even though she was rarely there, had left a very frosty atmosphere with Maggie. Not that she had just sulked, her innate ability to help people meant she had given Kara a bunch of leads on people looking for roommates. Unfortunately, the kind of people Maggie knew wanted ‘young professionals’ to take up their rooms, not waitresses with no wealthy family to guarantee their monthly rent payments. 

Right after stashing her bags in the tiny locker room for staff, Kara took out her spare uniform only to discover there was a sauce stain on her white shirt. She had to pull on the creased one from the day before, along with the red skirt that just made old men leer at her as she walked past. She had to get a better job, and fast. Checking the noticeboard she saw there was yet another notice to share tips with all staff, including the manager. Kara rolled her eyes. No new notices that anyone was looking for a roommate, yet again.

Diving into the work, Kara handled every little crisis and complaint, looking up each time the door opened, even though she felt quite sure she wouldn’t be seeing Cat the architect in person again. The napkin with the mythical proposal house in Parthas was still tucked into Kara’s shirt pocket, and despite the day’s attempts to splash or spill things on her, she kept the little keepsake entirely dry. 

As the four o’clock lull finally kicked in, Kara began the preparations for the dinner crowd, opening up the back section and laying more tables. That was when her boss came out of the office at last, his shirt unbuttoned two too many, and the smell of rum on his breath when he approached. 

“This shirt looks a little rumpled, Danvers.”

“Sorry Max,” she replied, concentrating on the cutlery she was setting out. “I had a spill on the other, so I had to improvise.”

“Really, I should ask you to take it off,” he said, with a horrid chuckle. “But not out here, right?”

J’onn came to stand in the kitchen doorway as he stirred a bowl of something, watching Max like a hawk. Kara was grateful of the witness, but all too soon he was called back inside. She picked up the last bundle of knives, forks and spoons, ready to move on to the last table. 

“You didn’t answer me…” Max said in a sing-song, and though he usually just crept up to the line, in that moment he crossed it by taking a passing grab at Kara’s ass. Without thinking, she yanked his hand away and stabbed it with steak knife, pinning his hand to the table for a moment with the force of her reaction.

Uh oh. 

Luckily he was pretty drunk, so at first he just kind of stared. Kara backed away slowly, but then the shock wore off and the pain hit his hand. He yelped, yanking the hand back and sending cutlery everywhere. Max advanced on Kara, but as she backed against the wall J’onn appeared between them, giving her a safe barrier. 

“You!” Max howled at her from the otherside of J’onn. “You’re fired, you little bitch!”

“Hey!” Alex called out as she arrived for her shift. “What the hell?”

“Alex, it’s fine,” Kara said, slipping past the men to go and grab her bags. She wanted out of there, and fast. Too many times in her life cruel people had turned on her, and now Kara’s heart was thumping in her chest, her breaths coming much too shallow. “I was done with this place anyway. I’ve been thinking about moving on.”

“But…” Alex followed her into the changing room. “But Kara, did he hurt you? If he did, I’ll go out there and kick the crap out of him. Then get Maggie down here to do the same, right before she arrests him. I know she’s been cranky about you still living with us, but she’ll have your back.”

“It’s okay,” Kara insisted. She wanted to whine to Alex about how finding another place was proving impossible, and could she stay just another week, but being a burden was more than Kara could face. “That woman from the other week finally came through about a room at her place. I was gonna tell you earlier, but I figured I’d see you here. Now, you keep your temper tonight, Alex. And your job. But if he tries anything… well, you know what to do.”

“Did you get a good swing at him?” Alex asked. “I saw he was bleeding.”

“Stabbed him with a steak knife!” Kara replied with a nervous giggle. Back in her jeans and worn gray tee, she pulled her battered leather jacket from her locker. It was the last thing in there besides her stained white shirt. She wouldn’t be needing that again in a hurry. Pulling Alex into a hug, she held on a few moments too long. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Okay.” Alex knew by now that Kara didn’t like staying in one place. Maybe she’d already guessed that Kara was on the lookout for her next adventure. “Just be safe, Kara.”

“You too.”

***

The bus station was half deserted after the post-work crowds departed, but Kara did her best to write her article longhand in the one unfinished notebook she had left. The way her budget was looking she’d have to get creative about new stationery supplies. What she wouldn’t give for a laptop of her own, but typing up this version at some public library tomorrow would have to do.

She counted out some coins from her share of that week’s tips and treated herself to a proper coffee before the little kiosk closed, a sugary cinnamon pumpkin concoction that tasted like complete indulgence. Knowing better than to check how much cash she had on her where people could see, Kara knew it wasn’t enough to start splashing out on hostels, since her belongings wouldn’t be much safer there than on the street. One night sleeping rough was nothing compared to what she was used to, and it meant she could tackle her list of problems on a new day. 

“You can’t sleep here, miss,” a voice said not long after Kara had slumped against her backpack, dozing with her empty coffee cup in her hand. “Someone will call the cops, probably.”

“Oh, I just had a long day,” Kara replied, trying her best to look respectable. “My bus is one of the last ones out tonight, so I’m just killing time.”

“Last bus is in five minutes,” the man said, and when he stepped fully into view Kara could see he was some kind of janitor, cart and all. “It’s the overnight coastal route. Calling all towns via Midvale. You heading up there?”

Midvale was ten hours up the coast, and not somewhere Kara ever intended to return to. She considered for a moment, knowing Alex would probably take pity if she asked one more favour. It wasn’t even too late to try Winn, not really. Yet both options left Kara cold, like her pride might not survive just one more blow. 

“You said all towns?” Kara abandoned the pretense of already having a plan. “Does that include Parthas?”

“Sure does,” the janitor replied. He gave her an appraising look as she sat there on the bench, before patting at his pants pocket. “In fact, this must be your lucky day. I found this ticket not twenty minutes ago. Young man stormed out of here and threw it away like trash. But it’s a valid ticket for that last service. Going all the way to Parthas.”

He held it out, but Kara hesitated a moment. It was a long way to hitch back if the town turned out to have nothing for her, but the crumpled napkin in her pocket felt like it was urging her on somehow. Cat probably had the place on the market already, but sleeping rough on the beach sure beat the prospect of doing it in the city. Unoccupied houses were usually a cinch to break into, and it would be shelter if nothing else. Hell, maybe she could just text Cat and ask if she could crash there for a night or two. 

“Thank you,” she said, taking the offered ticket and gathering her two overstuffed bags. “I really appreciate it.”

“You look like you could do with the break,” was all he said, before pushing his cart down the concourse. “Over there, gate 5 now.”

Kara looked where he was pointing and jogged over to join the last couple of people climbing aboard. She threw her biggest bag in the luggage hold and flashed her ticket at the driver before seeking out a seat way in back. The bus wasn’t full enough to give her a seatmate, and just as she got comfortable against her backpack, they pulled off and out into the streets of National City. 

Watching the neon lights of the city blur past her until they were out on the open freeway, Kara closed her eyes and hoped that a change just might be as good as a rest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try and update this every Sunday evening to have some structure! Other fics may pop up here and there too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara finds her new home, and explores Parthas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was meant to go up Sunday but I was running behind. Thanks for your patience!

Kara stumbled down the bus steps, squinting into the dazzling sunlight. She barely got a chance to pull her bag free of the hold before the door closed and the bus roared off to complete its morning climb up the coast to Midvale. She shuddered at the thought of the place.

Right next to the “bus station” that was really just two signposts and a wooden bench, there was a gas station. Kara used the facilities and was pleasantly surprised to find them clean and well lit, before fetching herself up some bottled water and some snack bars that would be her budget version of breakfast. 

While she waited in line to pay for them, she found herself behind a chatty couple who clearly knew the attendant on the till. Kara was standing next to a rack of cheap sunglasses, and as she waited with growing impatience, the sun outside only seemed to get brighter. Even at ten dollars, she couldn’t afford to splurge on them, but the desire to own a pair only increased with each passing section. Her fingers twitched to hold them, and her eyes seemed to burn every time she looked out of the large front window.

It only took a moment to survey the little store. No security mirrors, no cameras with angry red lights. Certainly no security guard. Just the little man behind the counter and the chatty couple in front, yakking on about some golf game and the Mayor. So when Kara’s hand closed around the nice pair of aviators and slipped them in her pocket, she was barely aware of even choosing to do so in the first place. 

She held her breath for a moment but all that changed was the man and woman finally shutting up and letting Kara step up to pay for her improvised breakfast. 

“New in town?” The short man behind the counter asked. “Or just passing through? You got a car to fill up?”

“Car? Oh no, no.” Kara gave her best smile, even though she was still bone-weary from the crappy sleep on the bus. “I’m visiting for a few, uh, days?”

“Well, Parthas welcomes one and all,” he said, like a walking, talking tourist poster. “Though we don’t have a lot here for you young people, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Kara replied. “They say each new place is what you make it. And I’ve gotten real tired of the city lately.”

“National City?”

“That was my latest stop, yeah.”

“Well, if you get too bored, Midvale is just--”

“Yeah. I know.” Kara found her smile starting to strain. She was glad she’d stolen the damn glasses now. “Say, is there anywhere in town I could get online? My laptop, well, it sorta died on me, and I have a few emails to send.”

“There’s the internet café,” the man explained. “Well, it’s more of a gossip shop, but it does a mean latte. Right across the street from the library too, if you want some quiet. For your ‘emails’.” 

Kara didn’t know why he said it like that, but she picked up her bottled water and made her way to the door. “Which way?”

“It’s right in front of the Parthas General Store right down there. Can’t miss it.”

Kara left the store with a little wave, pulling the sunglasses from her pocket as soon as she stepped outside. Pulling off their price tag, she slipped them onto her face, water bottle tucked under her arm while she pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Checking emails could wait. It was time to go find Cat Grant’s Barbie Dream House and see if it really was somewhere to lie low for a while. 

***

It didn’t take long to find the engagement ring in the shape of the house. Kara had stared at the napkin and its deft, clear lines so many times that she would have recognized it anywhere, like the White House. Or maybe Sleeping Beauty’s castle. 

At first glance, it wasn’t too grand, or nothing obnoxious anyway. The house sat on the last lot of a short, tree-lined street with just four charming family homes on each side. While this was certainly the largest, stretching over three storeys and with yard space to spare, to Kara it just seemed to be whispering ‘home’ the longer she looked at it. 

Ridiculous, of course. 

Even if it did have grand high ceilings and polished hardwood floors. Windows _everywhere_ which should be an invitation to nosy neighbors, even if it was set well back from the road and surrounded by tasteful fencing. Out back there seemed to be nothing but fields for miles. Which was pretty nice, Kara had to admit. 

Because of the sketch, Kara had imagined it in dark colors, maybe even black or a charcoal grey trimmed with white. Instead, the reality was a creamy wooden facade that made it look like an impossibly cool doll’s house, large enough for a family of at least six. Hell, compared to some of the foster homes Kara had been packed into, it could easily take twelve or more. 

Was that what Cat had built it for? More kids beyond the son she already missed so much from barely seeing him? Would there be a great big dog bounding out of those French windows and onto the decking? Kara smiled at the thought. Cat would surely be horrified at the very image of a slobbering St Bernard set loose on her fixtures and fittings. 

Not that the house had anything in the way of fittings, unfortunately. Kara knew better than to linger on the sidewalk for too long, and so after a good appraisal, she slipped through the unlocked gate--small towns were always slack on that--and made her way down the side of the double garage that had been incorporated seamlessly into the main building. Maybe there was something to be said for starting from scratch.

It wasn’t that Kara expected a key, necessarily. Spare keys were only for populated houses, somewhere a person came and went from often enough that they’d have to worry about being locked out, but not so often that they would just carry the key with them every day, right there with their car keys. 

She’d been forced to come up with a sliding scale for petty crimes as a teenager, back when her life had depended on treat laws as guidelines for people with more cash than Kara had. Rules had crept in for her, like not robbing directly from people or their homes if a business was available, and always replacing things when she could in any place she had to stick around. Having made a circuit of the house, Kara could see no unlocked window or hideaway rock with a key under it, and shimmying up a drainpipe to the second floor wasn’t wise with how overlooked the place was.

Taking a deep breath, she took one more look at the side door into a fully-equipped kitchen. The house didn’t have a curtain or a sofa but it had at least three whisks that Kara could see on first glance. The glass panels in the door were small, just enough for a hand to fit through. Kara pulled her jacket over her fist and gave the small square a fast, hard jab right at its weakest point. The breaking glass sounded deafening to her, but didn’t seem to attract any attention as she waited for an alarm to sound or the Neighborhood Association to descend. 

All clear.

Kara broke off a few residual sharp edges and wriggled her hand through to unlock the door. For a moment she froze in the open doorway, wondering how much bad karma she’d be accruing by breaking into a house intended as a romantic gesture for someone else. Still, this Lois person had left Cat altogether, and what kind of crazy person didn’t say yes to a place like this? Kara thought she could marry a lot of people if it meant this kind of security, even if some stubborn part of her was still holding out for a ridiculous true love fairytale. 

The closest she’d ever get to that was a one-night stand with the kind of woman who built a house to propose, and for now, Kara thought that might be close enough. Walking through the empty rooms - the huge lounge with its lowered section that Kara could see populated with overstuffed sofas and a big screen for watching movies, the dining room that could host a party for the whole neighborhood - she drank in the details of what Cat had created. It was the most beautiful home Kara had ever set foot in, that much she already knew.

Checking the front door, she found an unexpected bonus - a key hanging from the chain. It meant Kara could at least come and go without further vandalism. As long as she was careful. Upstairs she reveled in the huge bedrooms with closet space enough to put everything she had ever owned and thrown away in, with plenty to spare. Kara actually gasped as she walked into the master bathroom. The huge tub dominated the window wall, and she finally saw the appeal of a bubble bath in that moment. Only when she imagined the steam rising in the air, and the bubbles threatening to tip over the edge, it was Cat that she pictured naked in the water, smiling across the marble-floored room in invitation.

No. That was never going to happen. If Cat ever showed up there, Kara would have to skip town. But she could at least get a few nights of shelter under her belt first. The only problem was that the house completely lacked a single soft surface. The rooms downstairs had window boxes, but no padding to speak of. 

A hard floor wasn’t a problem for Kara, and at least this one was indoors. Still, no harm in scouting out the town. If they had a camping store maybe she could pick up an air mattress. Pressing the key into her palm, Kara forced herself to head back downstairs and out into Parthas. There was exploring to do. 

***

The place was something out of a postcard, from the tiny wooden church to the huge park with its pond that people actually sailed tiny boats on. Kara walked around trying to blend in but found herself staring in wide-eyed wonder. People really lived like this, with quiet, spotless streets where no cars broke the speed limit, and every building was perfectly neat. 

It didn’t take long to find the center of town, just where the gas station attendant had indicated. Kara saw the internet cafe and the cute little library that had huge noticeboards outside populated with colorful leaflets. There was a clothing store that didn’t look promising, and a bunch of other storefronts that Kara would get to eventually. What took up her attention was the thrift store, complete with furniture stacked outside. 

When she got closer she discovered that thrift didn’t mean cheap in Parthas. Some of the chairs and tables cost more than her last rent check. 

“See something you like?” The elderly shopkeeper asked, coming out to join her on the sidewalk. “We don’t usually get antiquers like you passing through until the weekend.”

“Oh, antiques,” Kara realized. Then she took in that instead of chasing her off as some drifter, the man was treating her like a legitimate customer. Come to think of it, the attendant earlier has as well. She wasn’t dressed especially fancy, but they didn’t seem to be looking down their noses at her. “No, I’m actually staying in town for a while. All being well.”

“You are? Oh I didn’t know anyone knew was moving in! Kelly normally brags all over town when she sells a new property. Between you and me, she isn’t the busiest realtor on the coast, you know? I’m General Sam Lane, retired these days of course. Turned my hand to the antiques business.”

“Kara,” she replied, returning his firm handshake and hoping he wouldn’t press for a surname. “You Parthians sure are a friendly bunch. I thought somewhere this pretty might be hostile to invasion, you know?”

He scowled for a moment, Kara would have missed it if she had blinked. “No, no. My daughters have taught me that it’s always best to be hospitable. So here we are. You got family in town?”

“No, not yet,” Kara replied. “My uh, my partner…”

“You can say wife,” Sam interrupted, with a kindly wink. He gestured to Kara’s left hand where she wore a plain gold band she hadn’t been able to pawn. Unfortunately, the only finger it fit comfortably on was her ring finger. “We really are a welcoming community, in all senses of the word. I myself am an ally.” He said it in the usual people straight people did, like he expected to be handed a medal. Or at least a cookie. 

“You got me!” Kara said. “My wife is still going to be working in National City for a while yet, until she goes out on her own. So I came on ahead to get everything ready. Always so much to do when you’re newlyweds!”

“Newlyweds!” The woman from the florist next door had been hovering in the background for a few minutes, but she hadn’t been able to contain herself any longer. “Oh that is just lovely!”

“Now, Lillian. Give the poor girl a chance to get her bearings. And she’s already married, so there’s no big flower commission in it for you.”

“Be quiet, Sam. We can’t all be governed by profit. I’m Lillian Luthor, so nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand just as readily as Sam had. Kara shook it, wondering what kind of town made for such friendly storekeepers. And yet there was something about the glint in Lillian’s eye that gave Kara pause. “And where is it you’re moving into?”

“Oh, well, I only just saw it myself. Not far from here.” Kara wished she was better at lying on her feet. It was one skill she’d never been able to develop. She hoped a big smile and looking like she had to get going would be enough to distract them. “And there is just so much to do.”

“It’s just… well,” Lillian gave Sam a meaningful look. “The only empty house I can think of right here in Parthas proper is…”

“Well, it’s that new build that… oh.” Sam frowned. “Well, I understood that it was… now, wait a minute young lady. Are you telling me you moved into Cat Grant’s house? Because they swore up and down it wasn’t for sale or rent, not even--”

“I suppose it’s different if you’re moving into it _with_ Cat,” Kara interrupted. Oh no. Dumb choice. How was she going to walk that back? What if these people knew Cat well enough to call her and… no. Cat said she didn’t talk to anyone back in Parthas. That’s why building the house there had been such a big gesture in the first place. A compromise on a grand scale.

“What?” Lillian and Sam replied in unison, both looking stunned. 

“She was… no, it’s only been two months since she and Lois…” Sam got redder in the face, clutching at the belt of his apron. “Are you telling me you two got married?”

“Just a few days ago,” Kara lied, adding a tinkling little laugh. “And maybe we were rushing a little, but you know Cat. When she really wants something, she goes for it. So impulsive, that one.”

“But--” Lillian tried to interrupt.

“And yes, I know all about her ex and the problems they’d been having. But any stories you’ve heard about Cat not being able to commit, well... turns out she just couldn’t commit until the right woman came along.”

She held her breath then. If they were going to turn on her, she’d have to find a new plan. Just the thought of starting over yet again make Kara’s bones ache, the sheer exhaustion enough to make her feel like sitting down on the ground and crying. 

“Well, this is good news,” Lillian replied, recovering first. “I suppose Cat is having her furniture shipped in from the city?”

“No, she uh, she’s going to keep it where it is,” Kara said, suppressing a sigh of relief as she rocked back on her heels a little, thumbs hooked in the belt loops of her jeans. “She wanted me to see the house first, so we could pick out the right things together.”

“That’s not the Cat I remember,” Sam said. “I’ve heard on good authority that she likes it all her way or the highway.”

“Sam,” Lillian warned. “It’s not Kara’s fault that Cat and Lois didn’t work out. Lord knows we all pushed them to, but some things just aren’t meant to be. That’s how you end up with… well, Kara. Apparently.”

There was that glint again.

“I don’t suppose there’s anywhere in town I could grab an air mattress? Or a couple of yoga mats maybe? Until we get some furniture ordered, there’s not much in the house to sleep on.”

At that news, Sam brightened right up. Kara had been expecting a lecture about not planning ahead, or booking into a bed & breakfast. 

“No need for that. We have beds and mattresses in back. You just pick out the one you want, and I’ll have it brought around later today. I confess, I’ve been wanting to see the inside of that place.”

“Oh, I couldn’t. I haven’t made a budget yet, and I’m still waiting for my new card to come in my married name and all.” Not bad, Kara thought as she said it. All so plausible. She was used to never having the proper paperwork, at least.

“Nonsense, we’ll put it on Cat’s account,” Sam replied. Kara felt her entire body light up at the prospect. “Or the Mrs and Mrs Grant account, as it is now. After all, we know where you live.” He and Lillian laughed like it was a great joke. Kara felt her teeth grind a little at the privilege of these people who’d clearly never gone without for a day in their lives.

“Put what on Cat’s account?” Asked a haughty voice from behind Kara. “And what’s that about Mrs Grant?”

“Oh Katherine, you sly dog!” Lillian called out, clapping her hands in glee. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us the good news!”

“Though I understand--” Sam was saying, only to be cut off. Kara turned around to see a short, delicate, dark-haired woman. There was something familiar about her.

“Your only daughter finally got married, of course,” Lillian said, a little too pleased about delivering the news, which this Katherine was clearly unaware of. Wait, Kara did a mental rewind. Did Lillian just say _daughter?_

As Katherine Grant staggered towards a high-backed chair and sat down, looking for all the world like she might faint, Kara realized she was well and truly in over her head. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> again sorry for the break, deadlines have been kicking my butt for months between books and my Masters but HERE WE GO. 
> 
> Housesitter AU - Kara is a waitress recently out of a job and a home, who has a one-night stand with an architect Cat who recently built an empty house in her hometown of Parthas. Showing up in town, Kara needs a cover story to use Cat's house for a while without her knowledge, and she's backed into lying that they're married. Since Cat is recently split for her partner that she shares a son with, the news is a shock to everyone. 
> 
> In the last chapter Katherine had just found out about the "marriage" and Kara might be busted before she even got started. Let's pick up, shall we? Introducing Cat's POV on some chapters from here as well!

Cat ignored the ringing phone on her desk as she sat at her drafting table, the mid-morning light irresistible for some hand sketching. While most of her work was done on the computer for official projects, she’d never lost that artist’s love for pencil against paper. In recent weeks her chances had been limited, a flurry of meetings and presentations eating into her work hours, while resolving matters with Lois and the lawyers seemed to occupy every other waking hour. 

They hadn’t even spoken in person for over a month, which meant Cat hadn’t seen Carter for that long either. Her love for her son had never been in doubt, but the ache of being separated from him this long felt like an anvil on her chest. Even though she worked long hours and frequently was away from home, it had never lasted more than a few days since he’d been born. For all her failings as a mother, Cat had insisted on never going more than four days without holding him in her arms or kissing him goodnight. 

“Miss Grant?” Winn came knocking on her office door, which she’d foolishly left ajar in her rush to get to work earlier that morning. “Uh, I brought you a coffee because it’s been a while since you came out, and I figured you don’t have a machine in here, so um--”

“Spit it out, Wilma,” Cat interrupted, in no mood to break up her flow of misery and drawing. “But yes, yes, I’ll take the coffee.” She made a summoning gesture with her left hand, never looking away from the page in front of her. Something bold was taking shape quite without her realizing. A tall building, almost a skyscraper really. 

“There was also a sort of letter? The courier wanted to bring it directly but I told him about the time you scared that bike messenger so bad that he quit on the spot, and he agreed to let me do it.”

Cat knew what this would be. Lois’s petition for full custody. She’d been dreading it since her attorney’s dire warnings yesterday. One more line on the elevation and she was able to step away from her table, snatching the manila envelope from Winn’s trembling hand, and the coffee right after it. 

“That’s all,” she said, and he scurried out of there in obvious relief. Cat idly wondered whether the support staff had drawn lots to see who would have to bring the papers in for her. As resident IT geek, Winn wasn’t responsible for handling her mail or her drinks orders. 

Something about seeing the words in black and white finally galvanized Cat. She’d been so resigned to losing since her botched proposal, and the ensuing one-night stand that Lois had taken as proof that Cat had never been committed in the first place, that the legal documents could well have been the final nail in her coffin. 

Instead, Cat felt her determined streak rising up inside her, settling against her spine like a steel rod to give her strength and purpose. She glanced at her phone, which showed no new messages for a change. She hadn’t heard from Kara in a few days, the supposed one-night stand that Cat couldn’t seem to stop talking to, even if there hadn’t been time for a repeat performance just yet. Still, her very existence proved that even as a workaholic Cat still had a chance of a meaningful personal life. So long as she was with someone still willing to try, who hadn’t entirely given up on her. And if Cat could find… companionship, well, there was no reason she couldn’t manage being a mother as well. 

She picked up the phone and called her attorney, ready to fight for the first time since Lois had looked at the sparkling diamond and just laughed. As though a proposal was some hilarious joke to her. Cat didn’t often let people get under her skin, but that laugh had managed it. It replayed in her head often, without warning. If nothing else, it also made for great confirmation that she and Lois were well and truly over. 

Not that she’d take Carter from his other mother. Cat could be spiteful, but never when it came to her son having the best of everything. Joint custody would let her career flourish at last, and her bond with her son right along with it. 

“Lucy?” Cat asked as soon as her call was connected. Hiring Lois’s kid sister as her attorney really had been a particularly cruel stroke of genius. “It’s time we drew up a battle plan. I want to retain joint custody of Carter, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to convince a judge.”

“Now, Cat,” Lucy replied, her tone measured as always. “I’m glad you’ve found your resolve, but it might not be that simple. Lois has filed in the Midvale courts, and you know how people back home feel about those of us who came down to the city. Not to mention that she’s still close with my family, while your relationship with yours is… do I need to spell it out?”

“No, you don’t. Is this going to involve me heading back to Parthas at weekends to help with the rummage sales and the orange picking?”

“Now that you mention it.”

“Then that’s what I’ll have to do,” Cat said, her newfound resolve already wavering. “I’ll even call my mother, see if I can’t make some peace there.”

“It would help to show you have a support network,” Lucy agreed. “Even though I bet your mom would rather babysit a raccoon than her own grandson. Sorry! But am I wrong?”

Cat sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “No, you’re painfully accurate as always. But if I’m going to play the part of the small-town PTA mom, you have to come back to Parthas with me. If nothing else, I need to get the house on the market to pay your legal fees.”

“You don’t play fair, Cat.”

“No, and neither will you when this gets to court. I’ll pick you up after work on Friday. We’re taking my car, before you even suggest that monstrosity you drive.”

It was Lucy’s turn to sigh. “Fine. But it better have decent trunk space. I don’t travel light.”

***

“I can’t believe this,” Katherine Grant said, her voice reduced to a low moan. Sitting on the antique wooden chair, head in her hands, she was clearly in shock. Kara felt her stomach plummet with guilt, her so-called innocent lie having already caused real damage to a perfectly innocent woman. This wasn’t what she’d intended at all.

She had to get out of there. Fast. 

“Mrs Grant,” Kara started to say, wondering just what in the hell could possibly follow. Her need to find words was interrupted by Katherine’s sudden recovery. In an instant she was back on her feet, pacing on the sidewalk like a detective who’d just found a vital clue. 

“This is so like her. So _exactly_ like her. You know what I mean, Sam!”

“Katherine, maybe not in front of--”

“For years she’s been messing Lois around. Can’t commit, won’t commit. They finally see sense and break it off, and five minutes later she’s married to… this… person.”

The dragging look Katherine gave Kara made her blood run cold. She knew that kind of look. She’d seen it from foster parents, care home managers, teachers and police officers all her life. The coldness, the contempt. Kara knew how it felt to be instantly assessed and found lacking. Katherine Grant had just done exactly that. No wonder in the few times they’d talked Cat had been so negative about her mother. 

“Your daughter is an amazing person, Mrs Grant.”

“It’s _Ms_ Grant,” came the snappish response. “I might have taken my husband’s name but I didn’t give up everything just because I got married. And unlike you, I had plenty to give up. No, this will be one of Catherine’s big ideas that doesn’t work out, you’ll see. Like starting her own company. Or having a child before she was ready to be a mother. I suppose you’re here to help her sell up that idiotic house she had built? You know, for _Lois_?”

Kara tensed at the mention of the house. Had it already been listed? Cat could handle most things from the city. She decided to stick with her bluff. 

“I know who it was built for. And I’m sorry to say Mr Lane, no offense to your daughter, but it was built for someone who didn’t appreciate it. I told Cat to sell up if it was too sad for her, but she wanted me to see it first. See if it could still be a home. Now that I’ve seen it, I can’t imagine that anyone would turn it down. But then I can’t imagine that anyone would turn Cat down either. So I didn’t.”

“I should call her and give her a piece of my mind,” Katherine said, and Kara just about swallowed a gasp. “But she doesn’t take my calls at the best of times.”

“I should go,” Kara said, desperate to get out of there. Maybe she should get back on the bus to National City, or hell further afield to Opal City or somewhere, while she still had some disposable cash. “I need to get some groceries.”

“No, no,” Sam said, taking her by the arm. For a moment his grip pinched just a little and Kara felt the urge to run start to burn in her leg muscles. But he just steered her into the store, gesturing to the furniture while Lillian stayed back to console Katherine. Or calm her down, maybe. “Don’t let Katherine upset you. I’ve had my troubles with Cat Grant, because I don’t think she always treated my Lois right. But then again, my Lois didn’t treat her so great either, so maybe they were just never meant to be.”

“I’m sorry, I--”

“But you seem like a nice person, Kara. Maybe you’re the right match for someone as difficult as Cat. I know it would mean a lot to plenty of people in this town to see Cat happy, me included.”

Kara nodded. However long Cat had been away from home, she’d clearly made an impression on her hometown. 

“So you pick out what furniture you need and I’ll have it brought over later today. Nia and Barney will do the heavy lifting, and you can meet some of the younger folk in town at the same time. Plus, it gives you time to get your groceries done.”

“You’ve got me organized like a military campaign, General Lane,” Kara replied, looking around the space that was tastefully laid out with different sets of furniture. Unable to resist, Kara saw the four-poster bed that dominated one corner, soft linen drapes hanging from it, like something from a movie set. “Wow, Cat would love that.”

And on some level, Kara knew that she would. There was something structural about the woodwork, and although it could be fresh from Disney, the bed felt refreshingly real and present. It was also bigger than some of Kara’s previous apartments. 

“That bed’s been here for years,” Sam said, with a low chuckle. “And you won’t believe it, but Katherine out there was the one to donate it, after her husband passed away she threw out everything in the house and started fresh. So I think it’s only right I give it back to Cat. Lord knows I haven’t been able to sell it in the intervening years.”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to bring back sad memories.” Even as she said it, Kara stroked her hand down one of the sturdy wooden posts. “Unless it would be something she’d appreciate, sort of an extra wedding gift.”

“That’s a good start, now let me show you some more modern pieces that would look great in a living room.” 

Kara let go of the bed and followed Sam through the rows of chairs and tables and sofas. It wasn’t so bad to take advantage, not really. Kara could hardly skip town with a dining table, so he’d get it all back when she moved on. With that justification in her back pocket, Kara let herself get into the spirit. When she walked toward her next great find, it was with a spring in her step. 

* * *

“You guys must be thirsty,” Kara said as she came back downstairs. 

She’d made up the bed with sheets put on Cat’s account at the linen store, and fresh flowers with a vase from Lillian the florist, with the latter given as a “wedding gift”. Even when it came to groceries at the general store, Kara hadn’t spent a dime beyond the couple of dollars she’d given to the charity bucket at the checkout. Since it helped homeless youth, she felt more than a little duty-bound to contribute. Especially with seventy dollars of groceries that took all of her strength and balance to transport back safely.

Barney and Nia in their matching blue overalls had just wrestled the last part of the order into place: a huge recliner that didn’t match the soft gray sofas at all, but Kara hadn’t been able to stop herself. It even had a cupholder, and although the house had no television for the moment, she could at least kick back with a cold beer and watch the sunset through the huge windows in total comfort. 

“I could drink,” Nia replied, wiping her brow. “This house is amazing. You must be so psyched to be living here!”

“Oh, sure.” Kara handed them each a cold Coke from the fridge when they wandered across. “Did you both grow up here?”

“I did.” Nia took a gulp of her drinking, scrunching her nose as the bubbles tickled it. “But Barney only came when was it, last year?”

“The previous year,” Barney replied, as stiff and formal as he’d been the whole time. He only relaxed when he thought he and Nia were alone together, and his crush on her could be seen from space. “I’m in grad school, but since it’s mostly research I can live at home while I study. Working for Sam keeps me in book money.”

“What about you, Nia? Are you into antiques?”

“This stuff? Not really, but I’m trying to be a writer. Freelance sucks, so I need a day job until somewhere finally gives me a regular gig.”

“I know how that goes,” Kara replies without thinking. “I mean, everyone has that phase in their career, but you’ll get there.”

“What is it you do?” Nia asked. “I mean, if a Pulitzer-winning journalist wasn’t good enough for Kitty Grant, I can’t imagine what your job must be.”

“Kitty?” Kara raised an eyebrow as she repeated the name.

“Oh, she hates it but lots of people around here still call her that. You know what small towns are like. No matter how many fancy buildings she works on, they like to remind everyone where they come from.”

“Must be nice,” Kara answered, hoping to distract them before talk of her job came up again. “Actually, you both deserve a little something for working so hard today. I can’t believe how quickly this place feels like home!”

She pulled a ten for each of them from her purse. Her immediate financial worries had eased, and she’d have spent more than that on a cheap room and food otherwise. Stingy tippers had always made Kara hate her jobs more, but she still didn’t have the budget to go crazy. 

“If you need anything, just give us a call at the store,” Nia said, accepting the cash with a smile. “We spend a lot of time sitting in back playing cards and drinking coffee.”

“Also there is a small social gathering at the Apple Tree Friday night,” Barney said, as though announcing lunch with the Governor or something. “I know when I first came to Parthas, it helped me to get to know the people. Less daunting, once you know the people.”

“Thanks guys. I think I might have a quiet night in.”

“Well, maybe when Cat comes?” Nia suggested. “Although she hasn’t been home in years, so she might have grander plans when she gets here.”

The mention of Cat not being home relaxed Kara again. It tallied with the stories Cat had told her on the phone, about how she’d remembered the plot of land and worked only from that. Her contractor had called her crazy not to visit during the construction, but they’d made it work. 

“She’ll be here just as soon as she can.” Kara didn’t feel bad about lying this time. Cat’s relationship with her hometown wasn’t her business. Tonight, Kara would sleep safely and peacefully, and that was good enough for her. 

* * *

Friday rushed past in a way that Cat hadn’t expected, and she barely got out from under her pile of work in time to pick up Lucy. Thankfully the younger Lane sister was no stranger to workdays that dragged on past 5pm, but she was waiting outside her office building with a full suitcase and two overnight bags.

“Before you start, one of these bags is paperwork for your case,” Lucy said as she threw her belongings in the popped trunk of Cat’s Mercedes. “And since I can barely fit these in, you’re not traveling much lighter.”

“Get in,” Cat said, through her rolled-down window. “I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to park here.”

“You’re not,” Lucy agreed, jogging round to the passenger seat where she kicked off her killer heels into the footwell before even clicking her seatbelt into place. “Are you sure we want to do this?”

“Yes. Arrive by night, take the enemy by surprise,” Cat said, pulling out into the Friday evening traffic at its syrupy pace. “Which is my way of saying I haven’t called my mother, but I did book a room at the Apple Tree. Your family should at least be pleased to see you.”

“I didn’t tell my dad either, but yeah, it’s always a drop in policy at the Lanes. You can stay too, but I can’t guarantee Lois won’t swing by unannounced. Although that way you’d get to see Carter I guess so… you know what? I’m gonna stop talking and turn the music up.”

“Best advice you’ve given anyone all week.” Cat made an aggressive turn to head for the freeway, not looking at Lucy. “But thank you for doing this,” she yelled over the louder strains of Fleetwood Mac. 

* * *

After a whole day of writing and sketching and raiding the fridge, Kara had to concede that she was a little bored. So much of her life had been about keeping in motion - rushing from one job to another, hustling for writing gigs, trying to find permanent places to stay - that it was hard for her to be so still. She tried calling Alex before realizing she’d already be at the restaurant. Nobody else in her contacts particularly appealed.

As she took the small amount of recycling out to the curb, Kara remembered Barney’s invitation. The Apple Tree was a large inn that dominated the town square, a bar, restaurant and cutesy bed & breakfast all in one as far as Kara could tell. She’d seen their board yesterday advertising cheap cocktails and chicken wings, which kind of sounded like exactly what she needed on a Friday night. 

What the hell, right? People went out, and if it was a total bust she could duck out without making excuses to anyone. And at least she’d get wings in the process. 

She picked out some clean clothes to wear, laying them on the bed before starting the insane rainforest shower that took up almost a full wall of the bathroom. This Parthas life was starting to suit her, and Kara wondered if she could string this out for a while yet. So long as nobody got it into their head to call Cat and blow Kara’s cover, there was every chance of this working out. 


End file.
